"The woman is not quite right," growled shaggy-headed Hanák. "She lights a candle so that they may be better able to fire among us."
"Have no fear, shaggy pate. They will not fire at you. Go and huddle behind the doorpost if you like. I mean to go alone into the courtyard, and will draw the snake out of its hole with my bare hand."
The besiegers did not need much persuasion to hide themselves. When Dame Zudár passed through the gate with the child, everyone, not excepting Thomas Bodza, hastened to make himself scarce.
The child she sent on in front with the lighted taper sticking between its fettered fingers. She followed close behind. She had no fear of bullets now.
When they came in front of the open square in the shutter, she made the child stop, and bade it kneel down.
Then with a loud resounding voice she shouted up at the windows:
"Old Hétfalusy, are you there? Young Széphalmi, are you there?"
There was no answer.
"It is of no use denying yourselves. I am here to carry on my process against you. It is the old, old suit in which my father lost his life and my mother her reason. I have also brought along with me a tribunal which cannot be corrupted. I am now the stronger party."
"Take yourself off!" a hoarse, broken voice suddenly cried from the window; it very much resembled old Hétfalusy's.